Anti 'Bottle Bill' Pressure Group Grows in Massachusetts

Image Credit: Shutterstock/ Picsfive 19 March 2012 Real Recycling for Massachusetts, an organisation opposed to the states so called 'Bottle Bill' - that would expand the bottle deposit scheme to require drinks bottles made of glass, plastic, metal, aluminium and bi-metal containers to carry a deposit label before they are sold - has grown to 500 members following its initial launch last August. According to the organisation its members include businesses, individuals, trade organisations and unions which support increasing the state's recycling rate and oppose a bottle bill expansion. The coalition said that it supports finding effective ways to increase the state's recycling rate, and holds that bottle bill expansion will be costly to consumers and merchants while having little environmental impact. The organisation added that proposals to expand the state's bottle bill would add a 5 cent fee to bottled water, juices, iced tea, and sports drinks, in addition to the five-cent fee already placed on beer and water. The legislation would also require grocers to act as redemption centres and collect empty bottles and cans. Real Recycling for Massachusetts said that its members are concerned about the impact that overhead costs from redeeming bottles, as well as the new fees on beverages, could have on businesses, consumers and jobs. "Expanding the bottle bill will cost grocers and consumers more money but it won't work to reduce litter or improve recycling," said Chris Flynn, president of the Massachusetts Food Association and member of Real Recycling for Massachusetts. The organisation claimed that it is seeking to expand recycling in the state by making it more accessible in public places, such as parks and arenas, and increasing access to recycling in the work place. Real Recycling for Massachusetts' members include the Massachusetts Food Association, Massachusetts Beverage Association, Retailers Association of Massachusetts, Poland Spring Bottling Company and the National Federation of Independent Business. Read More World's Largest Bottle Recycling Plant Opened in California California based bottle-grade raw material producer. carbonLITE has opened the world's largest bottle-to-bottle plastic recycling plant in Riverside, California. Recycling Targets to Drive Recycling Revolution for UK Rebalancing the Packaging Recovery Notes (PRNs) and Packaging Export Recovery Note (PERNs) market to encourage greater investment in infrastructure to recycle packaging could lead to a 'revolution' in the UK recycling industry, said leader at a recent parliamentary meeting. Every Electric Ford Focus to Contain 22 Recycled Bottles Detroit based motoring giant, Ford, plans to divert approximately 2 million post-consumer plastic bottles through the use of REPREVE seat fabric in its new Focus Electric and other new vehicles in the next model year. Free Magazine Subscription Free Email Newsletter